Henneth Annun Reseach Center

Character Bios

Glaurung

Title(s): Father of Dragons, Great Worm, Worm of Morgoth, Serpent of Angband

Dates: I, prior to 100 - I,499

Parents: bred by Morgoth

Children: Perhaps Ancalagon the Black

Description:
Like all dragons, Glaurung was a sentient being, who spoke and took decisions of his own, such as revealing himself too early . (QS , Ch. 13.)"The glance of his fell eyes was keener than that of eagles, and outreached the far sight of the Elves." From his epithet "The Golden" we can infer that Glaurung shone with a golden-red light when his fires burned high; when they burned low he looked "like a huge snake, ashen-grey, sliming the ground with his belly". On his underside he was "pale and winkeld, and all dank with a grey slime, to which clung all manner of dropping filth." His blood was black. His eyes were terrible, "being filled with the fell spirit of Morgoth, his master", and he used them to bring others under his spell. None could withstand their look, except Túrin when he wore his Dragon-helm. Glaurung had an "armor of horn, harder than iron, but below he had the belly of a snake", and this was his vulnerable spot. (Unfinished Tales, Part One: The First Age, Narn i Hîn Húrin.)All later dragons were bred from Glaurung.

Glaurung Timeline:I 260 - Glaurung, still a young dragon described as 'halfgrown', leaves Angband and puts the Elves to flight. He defiles Ard-galen and is then attacked by Fingon and flees back to Angband. Morgoth is "ill-pleased that Glaurung had disclosed himself over-soon".I 455 - During Dagor Bragollach, the Battle of Sudden Flame, Glaurung is full grown and leads Balrogs and armies of Orcs to defeat the Feänorians. Glaurung "destroyed all the land btween the arms of Gelion."I 472 - When Morgoth "loosed his last strength" during the Battle of Unnumbered Tears Glaurung was of that group that issued from Angband, "and he came between the hosts of Maedhros and Fingon and swept them apart."Glaurung was wounded by Azaghâl the dwarf, Lord of Belegost, during the heroic stand of the dwarves during this battle.I 495 - Glaurung is part of a 'great host' loosed upon Narog. He "came thence into the north vales of Sirion and there did great evil. Under the shadows of Ered Wethrin he defiled the Eithel Ivrin, and thence he passed into the realm of Nargothrond, and burned the Talath Dirnen, the Guarded Plain, between Narog and Teiglin." He destroys the Doors of Nargothrond and taunts Túrin. I 496 - Glaurung encounters Nienor and lays a spell upon her "so that she could remember nothing that had ever befallen her, nor her own name, nor the name of any other thing".I 499 - Glaurung is slain by Túrin.

Timeline information: Dates from War of the Jewels, The Grey Annals. Quotes from The Silmarillion, Chapters 13, 18, 20, and 21.